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Camera Settings Removed from the site?

I&#039;m really disappointed that the Camera Settings (http://www.nodalninja.com/nodal_ninj..._settings.html) page was removed. It was a very useful reference, and I would hate to have to write every time I try new hardware. Recently, I was on vacation and did not have my usual settings with me. My thinking was that I&#039;d just zip over to good old nodalninja.com and look it up (knowing that I made minor tweaks). To my surprise, GONE. :blushing:

Re: Camera Settings Removed from the site? - No - only from public view

Hi Guys,
Nick and I both felt it in the best interest of the company to remove the settings from "public" eyes. I have worked to build this database up over the last 2 years for the exclusive for the use of our customers. Much of the data is actually based on feedback from our customers so they too have been an integral part of the process.

Unfortunately we have come to learn that our competition as been sending their customers to this page in hopes our published settings would work for them as well. And because this data is highly valuable in product development we would like to make it a bit more difficult for other companies to gather this needed information. Since we took the settings offline (out of public view) many non-customers have been coming to us asking for settings. I actually with spoke two people on the phone last week who needed settings for their gear - one was using a old Manfrotto and the other a Kaidan Head - both needed the settings desperately.

As most of you know we always put our customers first. Because the database was being used by other companies and other people using other heads, and to protect our vested interest we decided to reserve this data for "our" customers only.
There are other public postings of camera and lens settings:http://wiki.panotools.org/Entrance_Pupil_Databasehttp://www.swissarmyfork.com/lens_table_1.htm
I do not know of another company offering their settings publicly (and most do not even care to track and log them).

That said - our list has grown with the introduction of NN5 (and I&#039;m working to compile recently added data) and we will continue provide these settings to "our" customers only, so we still need more data from users like yourself.
Currently I&#039;m also working to setup a system that allows for 24/7 access by customers only (maybe a password protected page). In the interim any "verifiable" customer needing settings will need to contact us for the temp page. Those buying our product are provided with a CD which includes the settings.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and hope that you might try to support our decision by understanding our motives and why we are being a bit more protective of research data in this ever growing industry.
Thank you,
Bill

Re: Camera Settings Removed from the site?

I sympathise, and I am not surprised you took the page down.
I suppose the figures are useful for people starting out, however they are so easy to establish it is not something I would make a fuss about.
As I use a non standard mount for my quick release the published data has never been of much to me.

the process of working out the necessary settings is so fundamental to understanding the whole pano making process, it is some thing really worth learning how to do.
There are plenty of excellent tutorials out there, including those by John Horton, so that beginners can rally feel that they are led by the hand.

If they start out right, the follow on tutorials make so much more sense.